Apparatus and method for winding strips of material not intended for processing

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns an apparatus and a method for winding strips of material not intended for processing, in particular within an apparatus for joining a web of material running off a first reel to a web of material running to a second reel. Known apparatuses have a winding element with a receptacle for the web of material or strip of material, the strip of material being taken up by rotating the winding element. However, it is problematic that the web of material or strip of material slips out of the receptacle during winding, so that reliable take-up is not ensured. By means of the invention, namely, the arrangement of an element for holding the web of material or strip of material in the region of the receptacle, the web of material or strip of material is reliably caught and held, in particular even after the strip of material is separated from the web of material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority of German Patent Application No. 103 54 847.5, filed on Nov. 20, 2003, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns an apparatus for winding strips of material not intended for processing, in particular within an apparatus for joining a web of material running off a first reel to a web of material running to a second reel, including a rotationally drivable winding element with a receptacle for the webs of material or strips of material not intended for processing. Furthermore, the invention concerns a method for winding strips of material not intended for processing, which occur in particular when joining a web of material running off a first reel to a web of material running to a second reel, including the steps of: passing the web of material or strip of material through a receptacle of a stationary winding element during the operation of joining the webs of material, and, just before completion or upon completion or just after completion of the joining operation, winding the strip of material not intended for processing by rotating the winding element.

Apparatuses of the above-mentioned kind occur in particular in apparatuses for changing reels, which include a receptacle for a first reel, a receptacle for a second reel and a device for joining, so-called splicing, a web of material running off the first reel to a web of material running to the second reel. Such apparatuses are e.g. part of production machines in the cigarette industry, wherein in these apparatuses material webs of cigarette paper, filter paper or the like which are wound on the reels are joined together in automated fashion. During the process, the winding element is located in the region of the web of material which is, as it were, threaded into the winding element, namely into a receptacle for webs of material or strips of material not intended for processing. The web of material or strip of material is passed through this receptacle. For winding, the winding element is set in rotation after joining. In addition, the winding element can have a separating function, namely for separating the strip of material not intended for processing from the web of material, when the winding function takes place just before or just after joining.

The known apparatuses and methods, however, have the drawback that the web of material or strip of material can slip out of the receptacle, so that winding is no longer possible. In particular just before, during or just after joining the two strips of material, the risk of becoming unthreaded out of the receptacle is particularly high, because material stress arises here.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a compact apparatus which ensures reliable winding of strips of material not intended for processing. Furthermore, it is the object of the invention to propose a method which allows reliable winding of strips of material not intended for processing.

This object is achieved by an apparatus of the kind mentioned hereinbefore by the fact that in the region of the receptacle for the strip of material to be wound is arranged an element for holding the strip of material. As a result, the strip of material is held in the receptacle in a particularly effective manner so that, in spite of the stress acting on the strip of material due to joining, winding and hence take-up of the strips of material are ensured.

Preferably, the receptacle is a through-slot running radially to or in the end face of the winding element, so that unhindered passage of the web of material or strip of material in the winding element is ensured.

Advantageously, the element for holding the web of material is constructed as a pivot lever. The pivot lever allows reliable fixing of the web of material or strip of material within the receptacle, so that winding of the outgoing web of material after joining the outgoing and incoming webs of material is ensured. Due to the mass inertia of the pivot lever, the pivot lever runs behind rotation of the winding element and so clamps the web of material or strip of material. In other words, the pivot lever remains at a standstill for a moment, while the winding element is already rotating, so that the pivot lever with its free end strikes the wall, namely an inner surface as the stop face of the slot, which lies opposite it and from which it is separated by the strip of material passing through the slot, so that fixing of the strip of material takes place.

In a preferred embodiment, the pivot lever is a pendulum which is arranged within the slot. With this very compact embodiment, holding or catching of the web of material or of the strip of material which has been or is to be separated from the web of material, which is not intended for processing and is therefore to be wound and disposed of, is reliably performed independently of the material and format of the web of material/strip of material and independently of the speed of the web or of transport.

Furthermore, the object is achieved by a method with the steps mentioned hereinbefore by the fact that the strip of material is actively held or caught in the receptacle at least during the beginning of rotation of the winding element. This ensures that the strip of material is caught and held in the receptacle, so that right at the beginning of the winding operation the strip of material is prevented from slipping out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantageous characteristics and embodiments of the invention are apparent from the subsidiary claims and the description. Particularly preferred embodiments and the method are described in more detail with the aid of the attached drawings. The drawings show:

FIG. 1 a schematic view of an apparatus for joining webs of material with an apparatus according to the invention for winding strips of material not intended for processing, in a state before the actual joining operation,

FIG. 2 a schematic view of the apparatus as in FIG. 1 after the actual joining operation,

FIGS. 3 a to 3 c an enlarged detail view of the apparatus according to the invention for winding strips of material not intended for processing, in different positions,

FIG. 4 a schematic view of a further embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention with means for producing compressed air and a vacuum,

FIG. 5 a schematic view of a further embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention with a means for producing compressed air, in a state before the actual joining operation, and

FIG. 6 a schematic view of the apparatus according to FIG. 5 after the actual joining operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The apparatuses shown are used for taking up and disposing of strips of material not intended for processing, which are collected by the apparatus, compressed and then put in a take-up container, the so-called firing box.

In FIG. 1, for a better understanding of the invention as well as to illustrate the apparatus 10 according to the invention for winding strips of material not intended for processing, is shown an apparatus 11 for joining a web of material 13 running off a first reel 12 to a web of material 15 running to a second reel 14. The web of material 13 running off the almost unwound reel 12 is joined to the incoming web of material 15 of the new, full reel 14 in the region of a joining station 16 by stamping, knurling, gluing or the like. The webs of material 13 and 15 are guided and/or stretched over several rollers 17. After joining the webs of material 13 and 15, a residual material, namely, a strip of material 29 called a remnant, is still wound on the old reel 12 (see e.g. FIG. 2).

The apparatus 10 is used for compressed take-up and disposal of the strip of material 29, and for this purpose has a winding element 18 which is rotationally drivable. The winding element 18 is arranged in the region of the web of material 13 and has a receptacle 19 for the web of material 13 or strip of material 29. The web of material 13 or strip of material 29 is, as it were, threaded in the receptacle 19 designed as a slot. The slot runs radially through the winding element 18, which can be designed as a rotary body, e.g. drum, roller or the like. In embodiments not shown, the slot can also be made eccentric. Also, a construction of the winding element 18 as a so-called “finger plate”, in which at least two rod-like elements extend as fingers perpendicularly from a base plate in such a way that a slot is formed between the two fingers, is possible.

In the rest position or starting position of the winding element 18, the slot is oriented in the direction of transport (arrow 22) of the web of material 13, so that the web of material 13 is passed without stress and without hindrance through the winding element 18 (see e.g. FIG. 1). For winding the strip of material 29, which is loose after joining, the winding element 18 is driven in clockwise rotation in this embodiment, so that by continuous rotation the remaining material is collected from the almost completely unwound reel 12 and at the same time compressed. Due to rotation, the strip of material 29 is also caught simultaneously in the winding element 18. This means that, directly after joining the webs of material 13 and 15, the strip of material 29 is prevented from springing back. Catching is already achieved by a rotation of about 90° to about 270° until self-locking of the strip of material 29.

How holding or catching of the strip of material 29 in the winding element 18 is achieved structurally, is apparent from the sequence of FIGS. 3 a to 3 c. In FIGS. 3 a to 3 c the winding element 18 is shown on a larger scale. Basically, the through-slot as a receptacle 19 is made so wide that, in addition to the web of material 13 or in addition to the strip of material 29, another element 20 is to be arranged on or in the winding element 18 for holding the web of material 13. Preferably, however, the element 20 is arranged in or behind a projection 21. The projection 21 is formed by a step in the receptacle 19 and designed in such a way that the slot widens in a step shape from the entry of the web of material 13 or strip of material 29 to the exit from the slot in the direction of transport (see arrow 22 in FIG. 3 a). However, the slot can also have any other form and shape.

The element 20 for holding or catching the web of material 13 or strip of material 29 is designed as a pendulum-like pivot lever 23, namely, as a pendulum. The pendulum or pivot lever 23 is pivotable about a pivot point 24, wherein the pivot point 24 is arranged adjacent to the web of material 13 or strip of material 29, that is, outside the path of transport of the web of material 13 or strip of material 29. With the pendulum, the web of material 13 or strip of material 29 can be pressed against an inner surface 25 of the slot, wherein the inner surface 25 is always arranged on the side of the web of material 13 or strip of material 29 opposite the pivot point 24. The positions of the pivot point 24 and inner surface 25 accordingly depend on the direction of rotation of the winding element 18. This means that the pivot lever 23 fixes the strip of material 29 on account of the mass inertia of the pivot lever 23 to the inner surface 25 of the slot, so that the web of material 13 or strip of material 29 is prevented from slipping out of/slipping through the receptacle 19.

In order to achieve a mass inertia sufficient for reliable clamping of the strip of material 29, the pivot lever 23 itself or parts thereof are made of a material having a high weight, preferably metal. In particular, the end of the pivot lever 23 opposite the pivot point 24 is provided with a weight. In the embodiment shown, the weight is a metal body 26 which is coated with a rubber coating or the like to increase the coefficient of friction. Any other manner of constructing the pivot lever 23 using ordinary materials is, however, equally possible.

The element 20 for holding or catching the web of material 13 or strip of material 29 in the winding element 18 can, however, also be designed differently. Alternatively or cumulatively, in the region of the winding element 18 is provided a means 27 for producing or applying compressed air. The means 27 may be e.g. a nozzle which is connected to a compressed air pipe (not shown). The means 27 is arranged behind the winding element 18 in the direction of transport of the web of material 13. On the side of the web of material 13 opposite the means 27 is arranged a means 28 for producing a vacuum. The means 28 can be formed from several component parts. By the compressed air, on the one hand, and the vacuum, on the other hand, the web of material 13 or strip of material 29 can be held at different positions so that, after joining the webs of material 13, 15, winding of the now loose end of the web of material 13, namely, the strip of material 29, onto the winding element 18 is possible. Alternatively, just the means 27 or 28 may be provided. The means 27 and 28 are made adjustable, so that adjustment of the compressed air and/or vacuum can take place as a function of the material properties and the width of the web of material 13 as well as the speed of transport of the web of material 13.

In the embodiment of the apparatus 10 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is provided only the means 27 for producing compressed air. By subjecting the web of material 13 or strip of material 29 to compressed air, the strip of material 29 can be fixed to an inner surface of the receptacle 19 of the winding element 18. For this purpose, the means 27 is adjustable in the manner already described.

The apparatuses 10 in FIGS. 4 to 6 can optionally be additionally equipped with the pivot lever 23. Other common elements for fixing webs of material by clamping, tensioning, holding or the like can be used as well. Possibilities here are in particular balls, cylinders or other elements which are arranged movably in a guide, groove or the like of the winding element 18 and, owing to the mass inertia at the start of movement, at least partially slide out of the guide, so that clamping of the web of material 13, 15 between the element and the opposite inner surface 25 of the slot, which serves as a stop face, is achieved.

The method for winding strips of material not intended for processing is described below by the example of the apparatus 10 with the aid of FIGS. 1 to 3 c:

As soon as the old reel 12 is almost unwound, that is, nearly empty, the outgoing web of material 13 of the old reel 12 must be joined to the incoming web of material 15 of the new, still full reel 14. In this joining operation, which is also called splicing and usually carried out by stamping, gluing or knurling, strips of material 29 not intended for further processing occur in particular at the old reel 12. This strip of material 29 remaining on a core of the reel 12 is also called a remnant and must be taken up and disposed of.

Immediately before joining the webs of material 13 and 15, the web of material 13 runs through the still stationary winding element 18 by being passed through the slot. During joining or just after joining, the winding element 18 is turned or set in rotation in clockwise direction. The pivot lever 23 undergoes the rotation of the winding element 18 due to its mass inertia only after a delay, namely, only after the web of material 13 or strip of material 29 is clamped between the pivot lever 23 and the inner surface 25 of the receptacle 19. The strip of material 29 is therefore caught in the winding element 18 and reliably fixed. By further rotation of the winding element 18, reliable and complete take-up or winding of the strip of material 29 is now possible.

The strip of material 29 which would otherwise flap loose after separation from the web of material 13 can also be drawn in by a vacuum and so caught. In addition or alternatively, compressed air can be blown onto the strip of material 29, so that the strip of material 29 is pressed against or round a surface, e.g. an inner surface of the receptacle 19. Catching or holding the strip of material 29 by a vacuum and compressed air can also be carried out to the pivot lever 23.

A further advantage of the described apparatus 10 lies in that, after complete winding of the remaining material, removal thereof is possible without problems, as the pivot lever 23 or corresponding elements in the respective rest position, that is, hanging down freely in relation to the pivot lever 23, completely releases the previously clamped strip of material.

The invention has been described in detail with respect to exemplary embodiments, and it will now be apparent from the foregoing to those skilled in the art, that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and the invention, therefore, as defined in the appended claims, is intended to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit of the invention. 

1. Apparatus for winding strips of material not intended for processing, in particular within an apparatus for joining a web of material running off a first reel to a web of material running to a second reel, including a rotationally drivable winding element with a receptacle for webs of material or strips of material not intended for processing, characterized in that in the region of the receptacle is arranged an element for holding or catching the strip of material.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the winding element is arranged in the region of the outgoing web of material and composed of a rotary body, e.g. a roller, drum or the like.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the receptacle is a through-slot running radially to the end face of the winding element.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the element for holding or catching is arranged within the slot.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the element is a body of mass inertia.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the element is a guided body.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the element is a guided ball.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the element (20) is a guided cylinder.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the guide is a connecting link guide which is oriented after the fashion of a secant.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the element is a pivot lever.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the pivot lever is a pendulum which is arranged in the region of a projection within the slot.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the pendulum or the pivot point of the pendulum lies outside the path of transport of the web of material in the rest position of the winding element.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the position of the pivot point depends on the direction of rotation of the winding element, wherein the web of material or strip of material always lies between the pivot point and an inner surface of the slot as a stop face.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the element for holding or catching includes a means for subjecting the strip of material to compressed air.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the means is arranged in the region of the slot in such a way that the strip of material can be pressed by the compressed air against or round a surface in the region of the slot.
 16. Apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the means is arranged behind the winding element in the direction of transport of the web of material.
 17. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the element for holding or catching includes a means for forming a vacuum.
 18. Apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the means has several component parts for forming a vacuum, which are arranged at different positions in the region of the web of material or strip of material behind the winding element in the direction of transport of the strip of material, so that the strip of material can be drawn in.
 19. Method for winding strips of material not intended for processing, which occur in particular when joining a web of material running off a first reel to a web of material running to a second reel, including the steps of: passing the web of material or strip of material through a receptacle of a stationary winding element during the operation of joining the webs of material, and, just before completion or upon completion or just after completion of the joining operation, winding the strip of material by rotating the winding element, characterized by the steps of: actively holding or catching the strip of material in the receptacle at least during the beginning of rotation of the winding element.
 20. Method according to claim 19, characterized in that the strip of material is clamped by a pivot lever or the like having mass inertia.
 21. Method according to claim 19, characterized in that the strip of material is pressed by compressed air against or round a surface in the region of the receptacle and so held or caught.
 22. Method according to claim 19, characterized in that the strip of material is drawn in by a vacuum in the region of the receptacle and so held or caught. 